Asphalt is a widely used material of construction.
It is known to blend asphalts with polymeric materials so as to improve certain properties of the modified asphalt.
The use of polymer modifiers increases the cost of the final composition, so a cost-benefit analysis is required before commercial use becomes a reality.
For example, block styrene-butadiene elastomer (also known as "block SB rubber" and "block SBS rubber") is used to modify paving asphalts which are used in road construction. The so-modified paving asphalts typically exhibit excellent physical properties.
However, the cost of the block styrene-butadiene elastomer has restricted its use in paving applications. Thus, it is apparent that a need exists for a polymer modified asphalt that is conveniently prepared from a comparatively inexpensive polymer.